


Coping

by kristsune



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, References to Depression, but doesn't have his usual tact, but it still works out in the end, canon character death, obi wan just wants to help, what would happen if rex stopped caring for himself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 16:02:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6963520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/pseuds/kristsune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What would happen if Rex stopped caring about himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coping

**Author's Note:**

> This is for rexobi week day 3: Coping. I generally see Rex helping Obi wan cope, but I wanted to switch it around, and see what Obi wan would do for Rex. Thanks to Lemon as always for beta-ing!

It started after Echo died. 

Obi-wan began noticing the little things. Each time the 212th and 501st were brought back together Obi-wan noticed something new. First was the darkness under Rex’s eyes like he wasn’t getting enough sleep. Then he let his hair grow out from its strict short buzz, not a lot, but enough to know that the usual care wasn’t there. Then there was the weight loss. It wasn’t very noticeable due to all the armor, but Obi-wan could see it. It was heartbreaking to notice. 

Over the months through all of these changes Rex’s performance never flagged. He still took care of his brothers and never had any problems in the field. He just stopped caring about himself. 

Obi-wan was trying to find a way to broach the topic when the next time the two battalions were together on the way to an outer rim planet for a rescue mission and an opportunity presented itself. Turned out, Obi-wan wasn’t the only one to notice the changes in Rex.

“Hello General, may I have a word?” Kix asked as he stepped in line with Obi-wan.

“Of course Kix, one should always make time for a medic,” Obi-wan smirked.

Kix huffed a laugh, “Thank you sir.” He took a short breath through his nose, “There is no easy way to say this, so I am going to just say it. Is that alright?”

“Please, continue.”

Kix took a deep breath, “I’m worried about Captain Rex, sir.” He kept his eyes on the General trying to gauge his reaction. “I have noticed his lack of sleep, self-care, and his eating has declined dramatically. I worry about him, sir, I don’t think the rest of us could handle losing Rex, he watches over us all. The situation hasn’t affected his duty so far, I’m afraid it will, and soon. He is running himself into the ground and I don’t think he knows how to stop. I briefly thought about going to General Skywalker or Commander Tano, but I don’t think he would actually tell them anything substantial. Skywalker is too heavy handed and Rex wouldn’t want to burden Ahsoka.” 

Kix only saw compassion in the Jedi’s expression, “So I am coming to you; I know you two work together well. I think he might talk to you and maybe even listen.”

Obi-wan placed his hand on Kix’s shoulder, “You are a good medic and a good brother. I will have a talk with the Captain. If you could see that he is sent to my quarters later I would appreciate it.”

The medic sighed with relief, “Of course General. Thank you.”

\-------------

 

Obi-wan was pacing when the door chimed. He took a deep breath and opened the door to be faced with an armorless Captain Rex. He looked even thinner in just his under armor blacks. Obi-wan had to work harder than usual to keep his face neutral. He was glad he remembered to take off his shoulder pauldrons and gauntlets earlier.

Rex nodded, “General, you wanted to see me?”

“Yes, Captain, I did. Please, take a seat.” Obi-wan gestured into the room. “And please Rex, call me Obi-wan.” 

The corner of Rex’s mouth lifted just a little and he nodded his thanks to Obi-wan. Rex paused when he realized the layout of the room. He had never been to Obi-wan’s rooms on the Negotiator before: they were much smaller than expected. There was the bed, and a single chair, and Obi-wan, who had managed to sneak by during his pause to sit in the chair. 

Rex sighed and sat down across from Obi-wan, the space was so small their knees were almost touching.

Obi-wan caught Rex’s eyes,“How are you doing, Rex?”

“I’m fine, sir, really,” Rex held the contact but Obi-wan noticed the slight tremor in Rex’s hand before he clasped them together.

There was no easy way for Obi-wan to do this, so he figured he’d go straight to the heart of the matter. 

“I was just thinking about Echo today and I realized how little I actually got to interact with him. I was curious if you wouldn’t mind helping me remember him better.” Obi-wan heard the tight whimper escape Rex at the mention of Echo, and tried his best to not immediately reach out and soothe the poor captain. Obi-wan didn’t need to worry the aborted movement of his hand, it went unnoticed. When he glanced up, Rex looked about ready to break into a thousand shards.

Forgetting all protocols and propriety, Obi-wan moved quickly to Rex’s side and wrapped him up in his arms. Obi-wan knew this had gone on for way too long because Rex didn’t even fight it, he just sunk into his arms, his hands gripping the front of his tunic. 

Words just started tumbling out of Rex, but he had to take shuddering breaths between every other word like they were being ripped out of his chest one by one. 

“I couldn’t save him, I gave him that hand print, I marked him, he was doomed then. I couldn’t save any of them. So many brothers gone because of me. Because I couldn’t keep them alive. I try so hard, but more and more of them are taken from me every day.” 

Obi-wan just held him as the words subsided into quiet sobbing. Obi-wan rubbed Rex’s back in reassuring circles. He hadn’t felt this much distress radiating in the force from a single person in quite some time. He tried to even it out by sending out as much soothing calm as he could and ran his hand through Rex’s too long hair. 

When Rex finally started to calm down, Obi-wan figured he should try and get Rex out of his own head. He placed his hand on Rex’s cheek and made him look Obi-wan in the eye.

“Rex, they didn’t die because of you. You did all you could for them. There is nothing more you could have done.”

Rex looked down his voice hoarse, “I- I know. I just can’t stop thinking about how I have failed so many of my brothers.”

“No. Rex, if there is anything I know about you, it’s that you are not a failure. You need to mourn your lost brothers, but you also need to take care of yourself, so you can continue to take care of all the ones you have left. If you keep going the way you are, it’s you that we are going to lose,” he brought Rex’s amber eyes in line with his own, “I can’t just stand by and let that happen. We all need you.”

Rex looked slightly confused, “We?”

Obi-wan just smiled and settled Rex’s head to his chest whispered, “Yes, Rex, we.”

Rex fell asleep quickly after that, with his head on Obi-wan’s chest holding on like it was the only thing keeping him afloat in a sea of doubt. Obi-wan remained awake for some time, just holding on. Making sure Rex knew he was still there. 

Things start to get better from there. Nothing instantaneous, but Obi-wan noticed that his hair stayed at it’s regimented, shorn length from then on. If Rex didn’t exactly put on weight, he certainly stopped losing it. 

Rex didn’t want to let anyone get to the depths that he had reached, so he started talking with Kix, and they contrived of a way to help the clones cope with their losses inspired by the night spent with Obi-wan. If any of them felt alone, or needed someone, everyone’s bed was open to each other. From that point on almost no clone in the 501st slept alone. This spread to the 212th and then the Wolf Pack. General Koon had the trooper’s sleeping quarters modified so the clones could all sleep together. Plo was rumored to spend most of his free time there with them. 

Anytime the 501st and 212th worked together, the clones always intermingled. The battalions were already so close they were practically one unit. And during those times Rex would always go to Obi-wan. It was always the best sleep either of them got.


End file.
